


A Second Adventure

by annie174



Series: Adventure Time [2]
Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:42:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29850000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annie174/pseuds/annie174
Summary: Logan and Veronica had so much fun the first time, they are headed out on another adventure.
Relationships: Logan Echolls/Veronica Mars
Series: Adventure Time [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194548
Comments: 12
Kudos: 30





	1. On the Road Again

**Author's Note:**

> It was nearly 1 year ago that I posted the first Chapter of An Amazing Adventure. That story was a joy to write and helped me through a lot of stressful months of COVID. I could use a fun distraction again, so here we go with a second adventure.
> 
> You do not need to read the first story, but there is an original character or 2 introduced there. In this story, S4 never really happened, although Wallace is married to Shae and they have Noah. Logan and Veronica are married as a result of the first story. The rest I am sure you can suss out.
> 
> This is an unofficial cross-over with The Amazing Race S5. I am using the destinations, challenges and even fictionalized versions of some of the teams in this story. I do not own Veronica Mars or The Amazing Race, I am just playing.

“I cannot believe you are going on another Challenge,” Millie sighed as she slathered on more sunscreen and settled in the comfortable chaise by Logan and Veronica’s pool.

Millie’s new boyfriend Carlos was keeping Logan company as he grilled some burgers and talked surfboards. In addition to a graduate degree, Millie had found herself a California hottie at UCLA. The couple were going to house sit and enjoy the beach while Logan and Veronica were away.

“It’s been two years and if we are going to do this baby thing,” Veronica rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the smile on her face, “it might be our last chance.”

“But you can go anywhere and stay in actual nice places, why sleep in tents and fly coach,” she wrinkled her nose.

“We’ve done that, you know, Paris for our honeymoon and those 3 weeks in Australia last year for our anniversary, but this is a chance to see a bunch of places and you know me, I like the challenge part.”

“I remember,” Millie nodded as she sipped the sangria Veronica had made, “also, I need the recipe for this.”

“It’s in the binder in the kitchen. It’s the page with red wine stains all over it,” Veronica grinned.

“I am sure Mark will be thrilled to have you guys back, he emails every now and then and tells me horror stories of teams, no names of course. I think he wants me to feel better about all my scenes with Chuck.”

“You were young,” Veronica shrugged.

“It was only 2 years ago, and I am only 3 years younger than you,” she noted.

“You had never left the US, never been with anyone other than Chuck, never BEEN with Chuck,” Veronica bobbed her eyebrows, “you were young. You are the one that should be doing this again, with your new hot boyfriend and your worldly persona.”

“I am spoiled by the upgrades you guys keep throwing my way, thanks for that bump to Thailand by the way,” she toasted Veronica.

“Way too long a flight to suffer in coach,” Veronica grinned.

“Says the woman signing up for nearly a month of coach.”

“Food is ready!” Logan called and the women slipped on cover-ups and joined the guys in the pool house.

Logan ferried potato salad and cut watermelon from the mini fridge and refreshed everyone’s drinks. Veronica ignored the stares at the quantity of ketchup she used on her burger and Logan passed the potato salad along with only a teaspoon’s worth on his plate.

“Carlos, you are officially my dad’s favorite person for driving us to Santa Monica. We could just take an Uber, but he insists on someone seeing us off.”

“And he seems fine with that person being you,” Logan grinned and bit into his burger.

“It is the least I can do for letting us stay here, this is like a vacation for us from the tiny LA apartment life. And your dad is welcome any time to come swim or whatever, he has my number,” Carlos smiled warmly, and Veronica sighed at how happy she was Millie found this nice guy.

“If the forecast holds, he might take you up on that,” Veronica bit into the watermelon and it dripped down her chin and Logan chuckled reaching out to wipe it off.

While their last race started at Dodger Stadium, this one was kicking off at the Santa Monica Pier. It had less of a pull for Keith and Carlos was happy to drive them as he knew the area well.

“I’m going to come and surprise Mark,” Millie said.

“Awesome, he won’t believe his eyes,” Veronica smiled warmly.

The young woman Veronica had met on their first Challenge was now a chic sophisticated world traveler.

When everyone was done eating, Veronica showed them all out to the firepit with their drinks. She quickly cleaned up the simple meal and joined them with stuff to make S’mores.

“We did one challenge where we had to dig through a pile of manure for a clue,” Millie remembered, as they shared stories of the Challenge for Carlos.

“Logan thought it would be a great idea to stand behind me and I could do the bottom of the pile while he reached over me for the higher spots,” Veronica went on giving her husband a dirty look, “all he achieved was pushing me closer to the giant pile of cow crap.”

“You got to hide your face in my chest, and I got the clue,” he pointed out and presented her with a perfectly toasted marshmallow.

“You still married him,” Carlos noted.

“I did, mmmmm,” Veronica moaned as she bit into the S’more.

“Can you imagine inventing something as perfect as the S’more?” Millie asked as she created her perfect bite.

“I invented waffle ice cream sundaes when I was little,” Veronica countered

“Pretty sure the Belgians have been doing that for a while,” Logan laughed.

“Where do you think you are going?” Millie was starting to get a little jealous that she wasn’t going on the trip.

“No idea, Mark would give us nothing. I thought for sure after winning our last Challenge we would get some clue, but he is tight-lipped,” Veronica took the next marshmallow from Logan.

“Do you eat them or just toast them?” Carlos laughed.

“Sometimes she gives me a bite,” Logan replied.

“Wanna bite?” Veronica asked with her mouth full of 75% of the new S’more.

“I’m good,” her husband winked, and she swallowed a little harder than normal.

A full day on the beach and by the pool with their friends, sun and good food and good booze and the promise of 3 weeks alone with her husband had Veronica in an incredibly happy place.

“I’ll share the next one.”

“Is that my cue to get toasting?” he leaned over and kissed a speck of chocolate from her mouth.

After saying goodnight to Millie and Carlos and retreating to their bedroom at the other end of the house, Veronica tossed a few more pairs of underwear in her pack.

“Do we have everything?” Veronica asked and Logan twirled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, the warm chocolate marshmallow taste still on her tongue.

“We have time for that in the morning,” Logan managed between kisses. “now I want to have sex in our big comfy bed one last time for a few weeks.

“We had some great sex on the last Challenge,” she remembered fondly.

“I know, but watching you eat those S’mores really turned me on,” Logan admitted and picked her up and tossed her on the bed, her laugh quickly deepened to a moan when his hands slipped up under her cover up and teased her.

“I could get behind this plan,” she arched her back.

“It is easier if you are in front,” he winked as he pulled his tee shirt off.

She wrinkled her nose at his quip but reached up to pull him down on top of her anyway.

***555***

Keith arrived the next morning to say good-bye and collect Pony.

“We don’t mind keeping her,” Millie said in case Keith was worried.

“I know, Millie, and I appreciate that, but without Veronica at work I will be lonely,” he batted his eyes at his daughter.

“Replaced by my own dog,” Veronica huffed.

“Wait until we have that kid, he won’t remember our names,” Logan stage whispered.

“Watch it, Landon,” Keith teased and shook his son-in-law’s hand.

“Don’t spoil the dog, she is mean to us when we get her back,” Veronica hugged her dad and then leaned down to hug the dog.

“Well, I do feed her better than I fed you,” Keith mused.

“I’ll email when I can,” Veronica smiled at her dad, “and if you want to come and take a swim text Carlos and give him a heads up, don’t just show up with your snorkel and life preserver.”

“Do I ever show up unannounced?”

“Not after that time you caught Logan cooking naked in the old apartment,” Veronica laughed.

“I saw nothing,” Keith shuddered.

“That counter was just the right height,” Logan held his hand up right above his waist.

“Be safe and have fun,” Keith kissed Veronica’s cheek and collected Pony and her stuff and headed out as Logan began stowing their Challenge packs in the back of Carlos’s SUV.

It was a gorgeous day and the ride to Santa Monica was easy and passed with good conversation. Global Challenge had set up a small parking area not too far from the pier, but Carlos found a public spot.

“I thought we could have lunch and go on the Ferris wheel,” he smiled at Millie and she leaned over the gearshift to kiss him.

“Remember when we were young and in love?” Veronica sighed and leaned against Logan.

“Which time?” he kissed the top of her head and felt her body shake with laughter.

“Hope this spot isn’t too far a walk,” Carlos said as Logan hefted the packs.

“This is nothing, we will lug these packs many miles over the next few weeks,” Logan slid his sunglasses on.

“And that’s just the airports,” Millie smirked, and he punched her in the shoulder.

Veronica loved the relationship Logan and Millie had; it was a sibling relationship they both sorely needed.

A young woman with a clipboard approached, “Welcome to Global Challenge, checking in?”

“Yes, Veronica and Logan Echolls,” Veronica said and that was a change from the last race when they were still single.

“Got you right here, welcome back!” the girl noticed they were return Challengers.

“Thanks,” Logan smiled.

“Your friends are welcome to hang out, we will be getting started in about 30 minutes. Here are your lanyards, you need these and your passports of course to get ticketed for all your flights.”

“Thanks,” Logan smiled and wrapped the lanyards around his wrist.

The foursome found a nice bench in the sun and waited until Veronica saw Mark approaching.

“Well, three of these four are trouble,” he said with a grin.

“Hey, Mark, you are stuck with us 2 for 3 weeks,” Veronica stood and gave the man a hug.

“And I am just the surprise guest, here to say hello,” Millie stood, her previously long hair cut into a sleek bob, held back with sunglasses. Her skin was tanned from a couple years in California and her whole posture was taller and prouder.

“Millie, you look great, California suits you,” he gave her a hug.

“This is Carlos, my boyfriend. Carlos, Mark Lewis, he runs this circus.”

The two men shook hands and chatted for a bit while Millie said good-bye to Logan and Veronica.

“Get a good spot so you can run to the cars. Kick ass,” she kissed Logan’s cheek and hugged Veronica.

“We will,” Veronica promised. Carlos said his good-byes to the couple while Millie chatted with Mark and Logan and Veronica left them to get that good position with a straight run to the Challenge marked cars.

***555***

The sun was hot overhead and Logan donned a Navy baseball hat, offering Veronica his foldable sunhat.

“I’m OK,” she smiled and curled into his side.

While they waited for Mark to give them the go sign for their first clue, Logan and Veronica scoped out their travelling companions.

A lot of male/female pairings around their age in the 11 or so teams they saw milling about. A team of two middle aged women, an older man and younger woman that they both hoped were a father/daughter pair, an older woman/younger woman pair that was a mother daughter based on the family resemblance, a male/female couple Keith’s age and a younger female pair.

“Are they twins?” Veronica whispered and nodded toward the younger two women who were both young, thin and blonde.

“Think so,” Logan kissed the top of her hot head.

“Everyone looks nice,” she smiled into his chest.

“You are mellow today,” Logan said, suspicion lacing his words.

“I’m just happy,” she said with a shrug and turned her face up for a kiss.

“I see Logan and Veronica are picking up where they left off,” Mark came to the front of the crowd and Veronica glared at him.

“Welcome everyone to Global Challenge, I hope you are ready for an exciting few weeks. My name is Mark, and I will be with you all along the journey. In each of our locations we will have staff and local support and your safety is our top priority. We have 3 returning pairs on this challenge, two of them got engaged on their last challenge, the aforementioned Logan and Veronica,” Mark pointed, and the pair waived with a grin.

“Bob and Joyce,” Mark pointed to the pair around Keith’s age,” also got engaged on the challenge. And Linda and Karen met on a challenge 5 years ago when they each travelled with their husbands, they left their husbands at home this time.”

Linda and Karen, the middle-aged female pair raised their fists in triumph of ditching their men and everyone cheered.

“In just a few minutes, I will give you the go ahead to run down the pier to your luggage there at the end,” Mark pointed to their bags all lined up, “on top of the bags you brought with you today is your first route marker with your first destination. Also included is a small amount of cash for this leg. The cash will be needed for any expenses other than plane tickets and your meal at the pit stop at the end of the leg. Cash can be conserved, but you will be responsible for exchanging it in each country. Your flights are prepaid, and some legs will have multiple flight choices with limited number of seats on each flight, so getting to the airport early is an advantage. Your pit stop will be the end of the leg, some of the stops are hotels, some are more…rustic. All will have hot running water, hot meals and plenty of spacer to relax and recharge.”

Logan could feel Veronica’s body tense as she rose on her toes, ready to run.

“This is a challenge, you will receive points for each leg based on your finish spot, and the winner will receive a prize, but more than that, these next weeks should be about the journey. About pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, about discovering new lands and sharing it with your partner and the other teams. It should be an adventure you never forget.”

Someone in the back whooped and everyone laughed.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Mark smiled, “on your mark, get set, go see the world!” he threw down his arm and all 12 teams took off down the boardwalk towards the world.

Without the weight of their packs, Veronica and Logan made good time down the pier and Veronica tore into the clue.

“Make your way to the “Hand in the Sand” in Uruguay,” she read as Logan took their bags and headed for the marked cars.

“Oooo, we didn’t go to South America last time,” he said as he closed the trunk and hopped behind the wheel of the car.

“Already exciting,” Veronica smiled as she pulled her seatbelt across her body as Logan backed out of the space, setting a course for LAX.

Veronica reviewed the flight options, “This might be a trick, one leaves earlier than the other, but the layovers might be different. Divide and conquer?”

“Which airlines?” Logan asked as he made a turn.

“American and United.”

“Too far apart, we will have to sweet talk the agent. Which one leaves first?”

“American.”

“United it is then; odds are it is a trap for leg one.”

“Totally agree,” Veronica stowed the clue in her crossbody bag and sat back and let Logan drive.

When they got to the United counter, they saw no other teams around and the counter had a young blonde woman working.

“All you, big guy,” she patted his shoulder.

“That is presumptive of heteronormative paradigms,” he teased.

“I’m willing to play the odds,” she winked and stayed with their bags.

Logan approached the counter with his slow “aww shucks” smile and the woman perked up at his approach.

“Well, hello,” she smiled, and he knew he was in.

“I was hoping you could help me. I’m with the Global Challenge group,” he flashed his lanyard, “and I was wondering if you could cross check the other flight option we have. We really want to fly with you guys,” he smiled again.

“I’m really not supposed to,” she frowned, and Logan just waited, “but I can tell you, you will not regret flying United,” she winked.

Logan wasn’t sure if her promise really had anything to do with the Challenge or his chances with a certain gate agent, but he took her at her word and took tickets on that flight.

“For you and your sister?” she asked with a smirk, but there was no missing his wedding ring.

“Wife,” he blushed at being caught, “Veronica,” and handed over both their passports and lanyards.

The tickets were printed, and the woman wished them pleasant travels. The pair had time to cross check the American flight and they were good, the layover on that flight was twice as long as theirs, so even though it left 30 minutes later their flight landed almost an hour earlier.

“Good job, Echolls,” Veronica high fived him.

“This makes flirting a little harder,” he waggled his wedding ring at her.

“Exactly why I put a ring on it,” she grinned and slipped into a newsstand for water.

There was only room for 4 teams on the better flight and Logan and Veronica met 6 of their compatriots: Linda and Karen the older ladies who had left their husbands at home; Jim and Marsha the (thankfully) father and daughter and Colin and Christy, who were dating.

“I’m Logan and this is Veronica,” Logan introduced as everyone went around and said hello, they had 40 minutes until their first flight boarded.

“So, you guys did this once before?” Colin asked Karen, Linda, Logan and Veronica.

“Yeah, it was five years ago for us, we were a little bit younger,” Karen cringed.

“We’ll rock it,” Linda encouraged her.

“And you guys got engaged?” Christy, Colin’s girlfriend smiled wide, like she was hoping for a similar ending.

“Yep, she proposed on a train platform in India and I bought her a ring at a seaside shop in Australia,” Logan said with a sweet smile. Veronica flashed the Australian opal ring with her thin wedding band.

“That is so romantic,” Christy sighed, and Veronica thought she saw Colin roll his eyes, he kind of looked like Piz.

“So, what brings you back?” Jim, the dad of the father/daughter team asked.

“We had a great time and our jobs worked out to give us a large enough break to do it again,” Logan shrugged.

“And we are planning on having a baby and well, once that happens it will be a good long time before we can be alone for 3 weeks,” Veronica shared, and Logan looked at her.

They had been discussing the baby thing, pretty seriously, but it was very unlike his wife to share with people she just met. He gave her a slightly raised eyebrow and she just shrugged.

“If I say it, it is real,” she said quietly, and he kissed her temple.

“What do you do for work?” Jim ignored the intimate moment.

“I am a private investigator, and this guy is in the Navy,” Veronica answered.

“Oh no,” Marsha, the daughter sighed.

“Semper Fortis, Son. What’s your rank?”

“Lieutenant Commander,” Logan smiled, “You a Navy man?”

“Retired, Commander Evans,” he nodded, and Logan saluted.

“This will be fun,” Marsha looked past the two men and sighed.

“Usually, it is my job that raises eyebrows,” Veronica laughed and invited Marsha over to sit with her while the two Navy guys talked in the crazy shorthand Veronica barely understood.

“It’s cool that you are on this trip with your dad, I work with mine, but I could never spend 3 weeks straight with him,” Veronica offered Marsha some almonds from her bag.

“We haven’t always been close, he was away a lot when I was a kid and then he and my mom got divorced,” Marsha admitted, “but he’s my dad and he is really a good guy. I hope we have a good time.”

“Have you travelled a lot?”

“Yeah, actually I travel a lot for my job, I do IT for a travel company and they have offices all over, so travel and strange food and stuff are pretty normal for me.”

“And your dad is military? You’ll be fine,” Veronica promised as she polished off the small bag of almonds.

Finally, the United Gate agent announced the boarding of their flight.

“You ready, babe?” Logan reached down a hand and pulled Veronica to her feet.

“To travel the world with you? Absolutely,” she leaned up on her toes and kissed him before shouldering her bag and shuffling into the herd of people waiting to get on the plane.

TBC…


	2. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Making friends and enjoying the scenery, Logan and Veronica take on their first destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for the kind words on the first chapter, we are off to our first destination, Uruguay!

There first flight took them all the way across the US to Miami where they had a brief layover before boarding their flight to Montevideo, Uruguay.

“Ever been to Uruguay?” Veronica asked as she organized all her stuff in the seatback in front of her. They had lucked out with a three-seater to themselves and they were spreading out for maximum comfort.

“Nope, a couple other places in South America, but never Uruguay,” Logan answered as he stretched his legs as far as coach would allow.

“Awesome, I like going to new places with you,” she leaned over and kissed his cheek and he grinned.

“I like going anywhere with you. The grocery store is fun,” he turned into her lips and kissed her properly.

“Dork,” she chided but the smile on her face gave away her affection for him.

“People seem nice,” Logan said as the flight attendant came around to check their seatbelts were fastened.

“Yeah, I like Marsha and it’s cool that her dad is Navy, is he nice?”

“Yeah, real nice. Karen and Linda are a trip,” Logan noted as the flight attendant began the safety demonstration and they paused to give her their attention.

“I think they are going to be the Monica and Cherie of this trip,” Veronica said as the flight attendants took their seats and the engines roared a bit.

“Next stop, South America,” Logan said as the plane taxied.

Logan and Veronica were able to get some sleep on the 2nd flight and when they landed in Montevideo it was mid-day. Since their seats were close to the front of the economy cabin, they got a cab right away and Logan spoke to the driver in Spanish, telling him they needed to go to the “Hand in the Sand”.

The driver assured them he knew where it was, and they were off to their first location. It turned out that the Hand in the Sand was exactly what it sounded like, it was a statue of a giant hand coming out of the sand on the beach. The driver had explained that the beach was home to very rough waters and the hand represented the reach of a drowning person trying to fight the pull of the ocean.

“That’s dark,” Veronica winced.

It was a huge hand, incredibly chilling in person.

“I don’t want to go near it,” Veronica shuddered as if the hand might reach out to grab you as you approached.

“I’ll grab the clue,” Logan left his bag with Veronica and jogged across the sand, Veronica turned and looked out at the churning waters.

Logan was back quickly.

“Next stop, Punta de la Este Isla. We need a bus,” Logan looked around and saw what looked like a bus shelter a couple hundred yards down the road.

Logan chatted with locals and was told which bus to take.

“I can’t believe you speak Spanish so well.”

“I grew up speaking Spanish, I was pretty much raised by the help,” he shrugged.

“You used to be so mean to Weevil and you could’ve spoken to him in Spanish?”

“I was mean to Weevil because he had a massive chip on his shoulder. It was not my fault I was rich, and he wasn’t. He treated me worse in school than I ever treated him. We got over it though,” he shrugged as their bus approached and he got enough money to pay the fare.

“Everyone underestimated you,” she said quietly when they were seated.

“I gave people plenty of reasons to underestimate me,” he frowned.

“You kind of made up for it,” she grinned.

The bus ride was about 20 minutes and when they got off, they had to find the ferry terminal for a clue box. After walking around for ten minutes, Logan was ready to give up and was re-reading the clue.

“There,” Veronica pointed to a lower-level pier.

“My eagle-eyed wife,” he kissed her, and they jogged down the stairs to get the clue.

“Take the ferry to Gorriti Island and search the trees for a return ferry ticket. There are 3 ferry times, you cannot change tickets after you select one,” Veronica read.

“It’s like the bus in Milan, we have to cross check and find the earliest time before we actually take one off,” Logan said as he found the ferry that headed to Gorriti Island. By the time the ferry left, Jim & Marsha and Karen & Linda had caught up. There was no sign of Christy & Colin who were also on the earlier flight with them.

The ferry ride was short, but the day was warm and bright, and Veronica leaned back against Logan’s chest and enjoyed the ride.

“You need sunscreen,” Logan said as he noticed her face turning a little pink.

“Oh God, yes, good call, babe,” she said as she reached into her pack and grabbed her Super Goop and slathered it on her face and chest.

The ferry captain explained that Gorriti Island was infamous as a pirate hide out and rumor has it there are still treasures buried there to be unearthed.

“My son aspired to be a pirate until he was about 10,” Karen laughed.

“How old is he now?” Veronica asked.

“Twenty-two, he just graduated from college and I think pirate might still be on his wish list as he looks for internships.”

“Do you have kids?” Veronica asked Linda.

“Twin girls, 25, both of them are finishing nursing school,” she smiled proudly.

“Wow, that is amazing,” Veronica grinned.

“Yeah, they are stereotypical twins, they literally do everything together. I worry about them when one of them meets someone and wants to get married, but they are great girls. You guys are considering kids?” Linda remembered from the airport.

“Talking about it, it is kind of now or never, I’m not getting any younger and while my dad really likes our dog, I think he’d like a grandkid more,” Veronica said, and Logan chuffed out a laugh behind her.

“Your parents pressuring you too?” Linda asked Logan and Karen’s eyes went wide as she reached out and smacked her teammate.

“My parents aren’t here anymore,” Logan said honestly as he caught Karen’s eye and realized she knew who he was.

“Oh, that’s terrible,” Linda went on obliviously.

“They have been gone awhile, I’ve um, come to terms with it,” he shrugged. When Linda turned to see a pelican fly by, Logan winked at Karen who smiled at him.

The ferry docked and the teams were offboarded with no other teams in sight.

“We had a challenge like this last time,” Veronica started as she silently communicated with Logan that they would share their knowledge with the teams, “we have at least 20 minutes before another ferry gets here, so we could help each other get the earliest tickets.”

“That would be awesome,” Marsha chimed in, happy to be on Team Logan and Veronica, “is that OK?” Marsha turned her attention to the Global Challenge staffer, who’s name tag read ‘Carson’.

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” Carson said with zero irony.

A statement like that would normally make Veronica roll her eyes, but on the Challenge, she just put up her hand and gave Carson a high five.

They all surveyed the trees in front of them.

“Let’s split up, yell the times you find and once we know the earliest time, we will try to grab tickets for that ferry for all of us,” Logan laid out the plan.

The 3 teams went in different directions, the first ticket Logan found was for 9:00 am, he yelled out the time.

“8:30!” Karen yelled from their spot.

“We have 8:00 am here,” Jim yelled back.

“OK, 8:00 am it is,” Veronica yelled back. Jim and Marsha grabbed the ticket they found and within a few minutes Logan had found 2 more.

“I’ve got one for you guys,” he yelled to Karen who gave him a big thumbs up.

While the whole task only took about 15 minutes, the heat of the day was upon them and all 3 teams were sweaty and happy for the cold water Carson had ready for them.

“You may have noticed your ferry back is in the morning, we are camping tonight on the island, tents are over there. This is not the official pit stop for this leg, but you can set up anywhere you like and get some rest, we’ll have sandwiches and stuff set up closer to dinner time.”

“First night on a plane, second night in a tent, good thing we had all that sex before we left,” Veronica whispered but not quietly enough to escape a cackle of laughter from Karen.

Logan just threw her a wink and grabbed a tent from the pile.

“If we head up that way, we should get a nice breeze off the water and be high enough to avoid some critters,” he surveyed the area.

“Lead the way, Magellan,” she patted him on the butt.

The rest of the teams showed up eventually and soon there were bright orange tents dotting the whole edge of the island. The teams mingled and caught up on their adventures, apparently the American Airlines flight was delayed out of Miami, but everyone was on even footing with only 30 minutes between ferries in the morning.

Christy and Colin who were on their earlier flight said it took them over an hour to find the clue box on the pier and that was why they missed the boat that Logan and Veronica were on.

“I would’ve missed it too, Veronica spotted it, I assume because her general line of vision is, you know, lower,” he teased as he tried to make Colin feel better and Veronica pinched his side with not as much vitriol as she usually used in these situations.

The teams retired early with no electricity and a long day of travel behind them. Veronica slipped into their sleeping bag and curled into her husband. The next thing she knew that husband was gently waking her with a hand in her hair.

“Hey, wake up,” he said quietly, his lips to her ear.

“Early,” she mumbled.

“I know, but you need to see this. And there is coffee,” he used the common lure to get his wife out of bed.

One blue eye popped open.

“Put this on,” he handed her his hoodie, which enveloped her.

She slipped her flip flops on and followed him out of the small tent. He had laid the tarp that came with the tent out on the grass in front of the tent and as promised there were two cups of coffee. The sky was just shifting from blue to pink as the sun emerged from behind a neighboring island.

“Wow,” she whispered and sat next to Logan, his arm coming around to pull her close.

They drank their coffee and watched the sun rise over the water. Slowly, other team members emerged from their tents, heading in search of coffee or a place to pee. Everyone stopped to watch the brilliant sunrise though, quiet as if they were in a church, the only sound birdsong all around them.

Soon it was time to pack up the tents and get ready for their 8:00 am ferry. When they got back to the dock that they left from yesterday a new clue box held a route marker telling them to get to Maldonado and find the Meat Warehouse.

Sure enough, the challenge involved a large piece of meat: a 55lb side of beef that they had to deliver to a butcher a half mile away. The 3 teams from yesterday that had worked together to get on the early ferry made yet another alliance.

All 6 of them had to don a white coat and hair net, which really did wonders for Logan’s ears and Veronica had to take a picture of “manual labor” Logan.

“I used to get KP on the ship,” he frowned at the glee she got at him in a hairnet.

Jim swung one of the sides of beef up on his shoulders. He may have 25 years on Logan, but he was clearly still military fit. Logan grabbed theirs and Veronica and Marsha helped share the load for Karen and Linda, swapping out every now and then to give them a break.

“Teamwork makes the dream work!” Veronica cheered as she also helped to keep the local dogs at bay as they lugged meat through the streets of Uruguay.

The butcher at the end of their journey gave them their next clue, their first detour.

“Chips or Zips,” Logan read, “we can play roulette and wait to hit our numbers, if we don’t hit, we have to do the other one any way. Zips is a zipline,” he said vaguely.

“I’m good with a zipline after last time,” Veronica said.

“Oh, hell no, I am saving myself for the heights I can’t avoid. Chips for us,” Karen told the Global Challenge guy.

“Let’s Zip,” Marsha nodded to her dad who nodded back, they clearly had discussed what they were both comfortable with before.

“See you at the pit stop ladies,” Logan nodded as they headed to their detour location.

“Thanks for all the help, you guys!” Linda and Karen went the other way with a wave.

The zipline location was a hotel and of course, the zipline was down from the roof into the swimming pool below.

“You picked this so you could see me in a wet t-shirt,” Veronica teased.

“I picked this one because I knew you would flip the table if we were delayed playing roulette,” he countered, and Marsha laughed as they headed up in the elevator.

For her part, Veronica just nodded, he was right.

Only one team could go at a time, so Veronica and Marsha did a rock paper scissors and Veronica won. Logan harnessed up and was whizzing down to the pool in no time. Veronica could hear him whoop. He dunked his head under the water and emerged with a shake.

“You can do it, V! It is so fun,” Logan pulled himself out of the pool and Veronica had to watch, his wet tank top sticking to his back deliciously, even from way up on the hotel roof she could spot her man’s body.

“My husband is really hot,” Veronica said with a shake of her head.

The tech who had her ready to drop off the side of a building just chuckled, checked her harness and showed her to the edge.

“Ready?” he asked.

“I haven’t had a shower in 2 days, that pool looks like heaven,” Veronica said and the last thing she heard was Marsha laughing.

It took no time at all to make it down from the roof, the view of the treetops was nice, but not as nice as the crystal blue pool and her wet husband below.

“Can I catch her?” Logan asked and the Global Challenge Rep in the pool said sure.

Logan hopped back in the water and caught Veronica around the waist as she made it to the water.

“That was awesome!” she squealed as he unclipped her and let her fall into the cool water.

Veronica swam under the water for a minute before emerging near the stairs, slicking her long wet hair back and squeezing out her tee shirt as Logan took his chance to watch.

“Let’s go dude, we’re in a race,” she winked, and he hopped out.

A Global Challenge Rep named Alice handed over their clue.

“Dry off and head to the parking lot, take one of the marked cars and make your way to the Pit Stop, Casa Pueblo in Maldonado,” Logan read as Veronica stripped off her wet shirt and slipped a dry one on before doing the same with her shorts.

The car came with a map and with his Spanish skills Logan sorted the 10-mile route before Jim and Marsha were done with the challenge. 

“Is that it?” Veronica pointed.

“Must be,” Logan nodded, “wow!”

On the horizon was a huge sprawling white stone hotel on a peninsula jutting out into the water. White lounge chairs lined the cliff edge and a huge pool stood out bright blue against the lush green of the foliage and the white hotel.

“It is gorgeous,” Veronica sighed.

Logan guided the car up the windy road and parked in the marked lot. He grabbed their bags and Veronica held the gate that led through the garden to the pool where Mark waited with a couple of hotel staff.

“I am shocked to see you two here in first place,” Mark teased.

“We figured out the flight thing, some of your tricks are predictable,” Veronica shrugged.

“You are the first team to arrive, welcome to Casa Pueblo,” he held his hand out like Vanna White.

“It is so beautiful,” Veronica said to the staff.

“Thank you,” a young man nodded to her.

“As winners of this leg, you get the suite,” Mark took a key pack from the staff.

“I want to shower so bad,” Veronica sighed.

“It has a very nice shower,” Mark winked.

“Outstanding,” Logan smiled slowly.

“You are welcome to all of the hotel amenities, there is this pool here and a solarium with a pool on the other side. The lounge chairs offer great views and photo ops. Traditional barbecue here by the pool tonight at 7:00,” Mark gave them the run down and Logan shook his hand before slinging an arm over Veronica’s shoulder and heading inside.

They found the suite; it was as cool and white as the exterior with ocean blue curtains and pillows on the white couch. The floors were gleaming light wood, and the bathroom was all stone and chrome.

“Heaven, this is heaven,” Veronica sighed looking at the huge glass shower with the giant rainfall head.

“I am ready for a shower,” Logan agreed.

“I am ready for you in a shower,” she winked.

Logan took his time, unpacking some clean clothes and his shower kit.

“You won’t need those clothes for a while,” Veronica said as she shimmied out of her clothes. And left them as a trail to the bathroom.

“Promises, promises,” he laughed as he grabbed his bottle of water and took a long swallow before shucking his own clothes and joining his wife in the bathroom.

The shower was even more amazing than it looked, with side jets that steamed up the glass quickly and massaged their travel-weary-slept-in-a-tent-last-night bodies.

“Oooooo, this is nice,” Veronica sighed as the jets massaged her back and the rainfall soaked through her hair.

Logan washed her hair for her, his fingers scraping along her scalp deliciously. Her hands were not idle, skimming along his sides, tickling his ribs. His laugh a warm puff of air along her temple, his lips landing there to kiss her. Veronica reached up to rinse the conditioner from her hair, while Logan’s tender hair washing was a favorite, she was ready to move things along.

With her hair clean and twisted into a wet rope over one shoulder she reached out to Logan’s head, pulling it down to return the favor. He took advantage of the angle to attach his lips to her collar bone and she sighed as she lathered his short hair. Logans hands smoothed down her sides and around to pull her closer, cupping her ass and lifting her off the floor.

“I’m not done,” she laughed.

“I’m clean,” he said as he rubbed the last soap from his hair.

Veronica wound her limbs around him and held him tight.

“I love you. I am happy to be here with you,” she said and kissed his lips.

“I love you and am happy to be here with you too,” Logan smiled, the rainfall shower head drowning them.

He turned that faucet off and the jets down to a gentler mist as Veronica kissed him harder.

“Here?” Logan asked.

“Shower sex is a sacred Global Challenge tradition for us,” she smiled against his ear.

Logan laughed but that laugh turned into a moan as he joined their bodes and Veronica pulled him closer still. He turned them toward the wall and the uneven stone against her back was cool while the rest of her was so warm. The glass around them made each noise louder and deeper.

“More,” she murmured, and he responded with a grunt.

“Yeah,” she sighed as he shifted just perfectly, and she tipped her head back against the hard wall with a thud.

“Good?” he kept up a strong rhythm until he felt her body tense in his arms.

“Yeah,” she said again, higher and tighter this time and then she was coming apart in his arms.

“Mmmm, Veronica,” he ground out before kissing her.

He lowered her shaky legs to the slick floor, and they rinsed off, finding big fluffy towels to dry off.

“Bed?” Logan gestured to the big fluffy white bed.

“Yes, just set an alarm, we won’t hear the end of it if we sleep through dinner.”

TBC…


End file.
